YUNET JOMOLCA Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins takes a swing in Wednesday night’s Grapefruit League opener against the Red Sox. More photos from the Twins 5-2 victory are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

The Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox share the same long-term goal for the 2009 baseball season. Eight months from now both hope to be the best team in baseball, hoisting a World Series trophy.

Focusing more on the short term, their spring training opener Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium had the usual exhibition feel.

Some stars like Joe Mauer and David Ortiz were not in the lineup, while others like Justin Morneau and Dustin Pedroia had a few plate appearances before being replaced by lesser known players.

The Twins put three runs on the board in the second inning against Red Sox veteran Tim Wakefield and went on to win 5-2 in the first of five spring meetings between the clubs.

The Twins are in their 19th season training in Fort Myers, while the Red Sox are in their 18th year.

YUNET JOMOLCA Delmon Young of the Twins belly-slides home safely before Red Sox catcher John Bard can come up with the baseball. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

Both clubs have developed large fan bases in the area over the years, in addition to the many fans visiting from the northeast and upper midwest. A sellout crowd of 7,849 fans greeted the teams Wednesday night.

“The city has grown a lot in the past 15 years,” said Wakefield, the knuckleballer who joined the Red Sox in 1995. “There are a lot of things for the kids to do, some great restaurants, and the golf is pretty good, too.”

Before embarking on the 162-game regular season slate, the Twins play 32 more spring training games, while the Red Sox play 33.

Both teams aim to get back in playoff contention. The Red Sox won 95 games last year, before falling to the Tampa Bay Rays in a seven-game American League Championship Series.

The Twins posted an 88-75 mark, but lost in a one-game playoff to the Chicago White Sox, which decided the American League Central Division.

“We’re on a bit of a mission this year,” said the first baseman Morneau, a seven-year veteran and two-time All-Star. “We got close last year, but that wasn’t good enough. We have to be better this year.”

Morneau, who went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk in Wednesday’s opener, said health is the biggest concern during spring training.

“Obviously you want to do well but it’s not as important as doing well on April 6 when (the regular season) starts,” he said. “You want to come down here and make sure you get through it healthy.”

Left-hander Glen Perkins started for the Twins Wednesday. He pitched two shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out one.

Morneau doubled off the wall in left-center in the bottom of the first, but the Twins did most of their damage in the second.

Delmon Young and Brian Buscher had back-to-back singles off Wakefield, and an RBI single by Mike Redmond made it 1-0. Jason Pridie had a sacrifice fly and Alex Casilla added an RBI single, stretching the lead to 3-0.

Pedroia, the reigning American League MVP, went 2-for-3 with a double for the Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis went 1-for-3. Jason Bay struck out once and finished 0-for-3.

The Red Sox got on the board in the fourth courtesy of Jeff Bailey’s RBI single. Jed Lowrie had an RBI triple in the sixth.

Thursday, the Twins play the Reds in Sarasota while the Red Sox host the Pirates at City of Palms Park.

Boston 000 101 000 – 2 9 1

Minnesota 030 000 02x – 5 11 0

W – Perkins. L – Wakefield.

2B – Pedroia (B), Morneau (M), Buscher (M). 3B – Lowrie (B).